Do you know: Which chromosome is altered to cause Huntingdon's disease? The Greek word for the branches of a tree gives us the name of what part of a neuron? The biological clock is located in what part of the brain? These are the kinds of questions that will test the knowledge of area high-school students during the Central Ohio Brain Bee from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 2, at COSI (Center of Science and Industry) located at 333 West Broad St. in Columbus.

Co-sponsored by Denison University's provost's office and COSI, the Central Ohio Brain Bee is the local competition for the International Brain Bee (IBB), based at the University of Maryland. The IBB's mission is "… to motivate our youth to learn about the brain, capture their imagination and inspire them to pursue careers in biomedical brain research." Professor Nestor Matthews of Denison notes, "More than any other organ, the brain plays a central role in making humans human. Yet neuroscience is poorly represented in K-12 education. Denison University has a responsibility to promote the public understanding of neuroscience and to show that neuroscience is fun." The Brain Bee's partnership with Denison began with a Denison student, Julianne McCall '06, who had participated and won first place in her local Brain Bee. McCall went on to study neuroscience at Denison and traveled to Sweden to study neuroscience on a Fulbright Scholarship.

The competition, based on a spelling bee format, is open to all area high-school students. Contestants and their immediate families receive free COSI admission for the day, and all contestants will receive a free Brain Bee T-shirt. All competition questions will come from the Brain Bee's "Brain Facts" document. Each registered participant will receive an e-mail confirmation with an electronic (PDF) copy of the "Brain Facts" document. The winner will receive a trophy and travel funds to compete in the American Brain Bee Championship held March 14 and 15 at the University of Maryland in College Park.

Advance registration is required. To register, e-mail Nestor Matthews at matthewsn@denison.edu or call (740) 587-5782. Include your name, school, grade level and the number of people, including yourself, who will attend. Parents and siblings are welcome.

Link here for a PDF of the one-page Brain Bee information flyer (140 KB).

Link here for a 64-page PDF of "BrainFacts: A Primer on the Brain and Nervous System" (2.5 MB) published by the Society for Neuroscience.

Oh, and the answers to those "brain-teasers"? Chromosome four is the chromosome that is altered to cause Huntingdon's disease. Dendrite is the part of the neuron named for the Greek word for branches of a tree, and the Hypothalamus is the location of our biological clock. For more information on the brain, visit the Web site www.sfn.org/baw/bee.cfm

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Calendar Listing:

CALENDAR LISTING: COSI, Columbus, Central Ohio Brain Bee Competition, sponsored by Denison University and COSI, 1-3 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 2, at COSI Columbus (333 West Broad St.). Advance registration required. For registration and information, e-mail Nestor Matthews at matthewsn@denison.edu or phone (740) 587-5782.

About Denison:

Denison University, founded in 1831, is an independent, residential liberal arts institution located in Granville, Ohio. A highly selective college enrolling 2,100 full-time undergraduate students from all 50 states and dozens of foreign countries, Denison is a place where innovative faculty and motivated students collaborate in rigorous scholarship, civic engagement and the cultivation of independent thinking.

For press inquiries:

Name

Barbara Stambaugh

Position Title

Director, Media Relations

Primary Email

stambaughb@denison.edu

Business Phone

(740) 587-8575